The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-02

the heads Of the young kangaroos.
"Oh, mamma mamma |" he cried.
"Look at the rabbits in the big kangs-
roofs pockets"
The discovery caused intense excite
ment among the children until the keep
er assured them that these were baby
kapgaroos and not rabbits, and that the
big kangaroos were not going to eat
them.
The menagerie will not have the litter
of young tigers that Mr.. Conklin expect
ed to display proudly this spring. All of
them died before they we're a day old.
The mother has been sullen and fierce
ever since and will have nothing to do
with Adonis. the father, who occupies an
adjoining cage. After the young tigers
died she sprang upon him SO fercely that
the keepers had to separate them, and it
was found that she had stripped of
big slice OF flesh from one of his legs.
The lions are not half SO ill-natured as
the tigress. They bound about their cages
sportively and eat their meals without
quarrelling. The fiercest animals in the
collection are the black Indian panthers
that were secured last fall.
Hold off good distance from Them"
said Keeper Shannon. "They are ugly
beasts and the worst we have ever had.
I'd not want to face them if they we're
out OF the cage. I think one of them
would whip any animal we've got here.
It's my opinion the bulldog and the tiger
are mixed together in the beasts. Hear
them growl now. They will grab at the
keeper when he brings them their din
ner."
The pet OF the menagerie is Miss Muir
ply, the hippopotamus. She is growing
rapidly in her new home. Although only
three years old, she weighs 1900
pounds. Every morning before she gets
her bucket OF bran and oats and fresh
bale of hay, one Of the keepers goes into
her cage with some soft soap and scrub
bing-brush and scrubs her all over until
her skin is covered with a thick lather.
She enjoys this hugely, grunting with
satisfaction. When the scrubbing is over
she dives into the tank, swims round
once or twice, and is ready for her break
fast. Miss Murphy is just getting her
second set of teeth. 1t was necessary to
pull out some Of the first set. Her gums
troubled her and in trying to relieve the
unpleasant feeling by biting on some.
thing, she split piece from one of her
new front teeth a few days ago on the
granite coping of the tank. Mr.. Copklin
then had the iron railing in her tank COW
cred with stout canvas and padded. Miss
Murphy appreciated this attention. Now
when her gums trouble her she bites the
padded rail as a human baby bites its
rubber ring and chews on it with intense
satisfaction.
at the further end of the carnivora
building is cage much like that of the
hippopotalG us except that it has no bath.
In this is Bohu, the two.horned rhinoc-
eros, purchased by the Park Commission
ers in New Orleans last winter. He is
| fifteen years old and has travelled all over
the civilized world in circuses and side
shows. Before he came to Central Park,
he had lived for years in a cage that was
not big enough for him to turn round in.
His ribs could be counted through his
thick hide. Bohu is a good natured
beast, and he is perfectly at home in his
new quarters. He is always hungry, and
although his sides are heshier than they
were three months ago, the fat does not
| appear to stick to his ribs. 1t is said by
the keepers that he has formed romantic
attachment to young Miss Murphy,
whom he can just get peep at through
one of his small red eyes when she has
eaten meal and stretches her plump,
sleek sides at full length on the platform
Of her cage. Apparently he considers
her one OF his own species. When Bohu
is in sentimental mood and has moth
! ing to eat, he will stand for hours with
his tusks thrust between the bars at the
corner of his cage, watching with one
eye for Miss Murphy, When she does
not appear he will keep up low grun,-
BILE, something between the croak of a
bulldog and the grunt of a hog. At
times he becomes frantic when the hip
popotamus pays no attention to him.
Once he became so boisterous that the
keepers feared the cage would not hold
him. He would rush against the heavy
bars more than an inch thick until they
bent under his weight. The keepers sent
hastily for Mr.. Conklinn to quiet him.
"What did you do to him ?" Mr.. Conk-
lin was asked.
81 gave him several powders" Mr..
Conklin replied, that quieted him in
short time Bohu's affection for Miss
Murphy Is nothing more than high
state of nervous exhilaration. There is
nothing better to act on the nerves than
bromide. My preparation was mainly
bromide of sodium, which is very sooth-
ing in it's operation and harmless
"How much do you give Bohu?"
Several doses, according to the inten-
sity of his nervous excitment. Twenty
grains are good dose for human adult;
but give the rhinoceros several ounces,
about a glassful of the powder in pail
full of water at short intervals. Then
curtain is spread over his cage, leaving